Fino Par. Fine Pair. A name that reflects a fine pair between chef and bar manager, the pairing between food and drink, and the joining of a boutique hotel with a quality restaurant. Fino also refers to sherry, the wine that will take centre stage.

Located within the Vibe Hotel, Fino Par will have a separate entrance at the corner of Goulbourn and Elizabeth Streets. The venue will bring a Spanish theme with counter top food served pinxto style to Sydney’s CBD.

Executive Chef Nelson Burgos (ex Mamasita and Foley Lane) and Bar Manager, Brett Harris (ex El Topo and Hello Sailor) are bringing their combined experiences and energy to this venture. Their aim is to change the way people perceive hotel restaurants by injecting a sense of fun and vitality and turning it into a dynamic venue that offers fine food and well-crafted drinks.

The menu is traditional authentic Spanish tapas with a modern interpretation. Marinated olives and smoked almonds will be served in special ramekins that sit on top of a wine glass. The oysters will be smoked and served with a tomato granita and the braised octopus will get the carpaccio treatment. Small plates of food will be served on colourful handmade Spanish tiles.

As a point of difference, the menu will feature montaditos, little mounds of food on bread such as grilled chorizon, black garlic and chilli salsa and smoked duck with figjam and balsamic. Served from the bar, these are loosely based on pinxtos but with no toothpick in sight.

“The focus is on two to three ingredients,” Nelson explains and they’re keeping it Sydney-centric by using local quality ingredients. The menu will also focus on shared style dining while remaining attractive to single diners.

When it comes to drinks, Fino Par has a solid sherry focus. “We want to change the perception of sherry as an old person’s drink with modern cocktails and modern drinks,” Brett Harris explains. From the bone dry and lighter Fino styles, to the sweeter Pedro Ximenez, the range will include some 15 handpicked sherries with different flavour profiles.

Naturally, cocktails will have sherry focus and are divided into three sections: All About Sherry where it’s sherry-centric such as the Sherry Cobbler, Touch of Sherry such as Fino Martini made with gin, fino sherry and lemon twist, and No Sherry with favourites such as the Penicillin and Negromaro, a mix of gin with Amaro negro, Campari and orange zest. A barrel-aged sangria in a 200L cask is set to prove a popular choice.

The fitout by The Gentry will have an urban New York style with etched steel tiled floor with boat decking, street art on exposed concrete and a central bar made from recycled timber.

Fino Par has a capacity for 70 guests, accommodating 25 in the casual bar and 45 in the dining room. The venue will accept walk-ins only.

Fino Par, Sydney was last modified: January 21st, 2016 by Corinne Mossati

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Corinne Mossati

Corinne Mossati is the Founder/Editor of popular online magazine Gourmantic and Cocktails & Bars, a website dedicated to cocktail culture and the discerning drinker. She is named in Australian Bartender Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential List, is a member of The Academy responsible for judging the World’s 50 Best Bars. She has also judged the inaugural Australasian Whisky Awards and various national cocktail competitions.